Leaf micromorphology in Zea mays L. amylacea from the Lluta Valley (Arica-Chile) with excess boron and salinity

Micromorphological and anatomical characteristics of the leaves of Zea mays L. amylacea were analyzed using digital images obtained from SEM. Concentrations of 100 mM NaCl (low salinity, L) or 430 mM NaCl (high salinity, H) and/or an excess of B supplied as boric acid to obtain 20 (334 μM) and 40 (668 μM) mg B kg^-1 were added to the nutrient solution for 20 days. Our results complement other studies of the ecotype amylacea and confirm the high degree of tolerance to salinity and excess boron it shows, especially in the role of xylem vessels in the entry and transport of water and ions and their relation to the regulation of the stomata.